WNBA opening weekend watch guide: Caitlin Clark vs. Paige Bueckers, Tempo and Fire debut

WNBA opening weekend watch guide: Caitlin Clark vs. Paige Bueckers, Tempo and Fire debut

The 30th WNBA campaign tips off in style, and does so after a long and unique offseason.

A protracted labor standoff stretched into late March, then yielded a historic collective bargaining agreement. Star players changed uniforms in rapid succession. Two separate drafts were held — one for the rookie class and another for the new expansion franchises.

And now, we’re back. This weekend has a stacked opening schedule, including two broadcast television centerpieces on Saturday afternoon. Hype is high and vibes are refreshed. Here are the games to check out across the next few days.

All times ET.

WNBA opening weekend watch guide

*Depending on local market

ABC is free over the air.

Friday

Connecticut Sun at New York Liberty

7:30 p.m. on ION (all markets but Washington and Toronto) and League Pass

Why you should watch: It’s the Sun’s final season opener, and it’s the Liberty debut of Satou Sabally.

Connecticut begins its “Sunset Season” before it relocates and becomes the Houston Comets. Sentimentality aside, this is a compelling young group. Guard Saniya Rivers and forward Aneesah Morrow are both poised for second-year leaps. Rookies Charlisse Leger-Walker and Gianna Kneepkens arrive together from UCLA, fresh off a national championship run. And the Sun added veteran big Brittney Griner, an enduring star in women’s basketball.

The Liberty’s home crowd is among the best in the league, from the seafoam supporter section to the twerking mascot. Friday also marks the first game for Sabally in her new threads. The three-time All-Star joins an absolutely loaded frontcourt with Breanna Stewart and Jonquel Jones. That trio offers supersized, inside-out offense that should warp the floor.

It’ll be interesting to see how New York looks without its lead initiator Sabrina Ionescu, who injured her ankle against this very opponent during the preseason. She’s expected to be out at least two weeks, which presents a puzzle for new head coach Chris DeMarco.

Washington Mystics at Toronto Tempo

7:30 p.m. on ION (regional markets) and League Pass

Why you should watch: It’s the Tempo’s official introduction to the W, and it pits Lauren Betts against Kiki Rice.

The Mystics hit 2026 with a radiant future. Silky shooter Sonia Citron and down-low force Kiki Iriafen each earned All-Rookie honors last year. And like Connecticut, Washington drafted two standouts from the UCLA title team: Betts and Angela Dugalic.

Betts, the No. 4 draft pick, faces off with Rice, a fellow Bruin who went No. 6 overall to Toronto. Ordinarily, this would be a headlining matchup. But Friday’s game will be remembered for the regular-season debut of the Tempo, the WNBA’s first international member.

Toronto’s home crowd should be electric. The offense could turn heads from the jump — the Tempo added pure bucket-getters in Marina Mabrey and Brittney Sykes. The Golden State Valkyries crashed the playoffs in their inaugural season in 2025, and if nothing else, Toronto is built to squeeze opposing defenses.

Golden State Valkyries at Seattle Storm

10 p.m. on ION and League Pass

Why you should watch: Flau’jae Johnson starts her career versus the team that traded her on draft night.

Golden State looked eminently comfortable in “Ballhalla.” Not only did it notch that record-setting postseason berth, but the franchise is already valued at $1 billion, highest in the WNBA. Feel-good stories abound. Veronica Burton is the reigning Most Improved Player, after almost quadrupling her scoring average in 2025. Kayla Thornton also earned a first All-Star nod in her 10th pro season.

But this Friday nightcap is stoked in revenge energies. Johnson was selected No. 8 by Golden State — she looked ecstatic, and was even wearing Valkyrie violet eye shadow. Then the LSU product was promptly shipped to Seattle.

Valkyries general manager Ohemaa Nyanin later said the curious move was about prioritizing cap space. The rookie now gets to show Golden State what it passed on in a regular-season setting after Johnson dropped 12 points on 5-of-10 shooting in an April 25 preseason test.

Friday also christens the second-year campaign for Storm sensation Dominique Malonga, who turned the Unrivaled season into her personal dunk reel.

Saturday

Dallas Wings at Indiana Fever

1 p.m. on ABC

Why you should watch: Paige Bueckers versus Caitlin Clark.

Granted, there are other players on the floor for these two sides. Dallas debuts Azzi Fudd, the No. 1 pick in last month’s draft and an immediate long-range threat. The Wings added free agent Alanna Smith, last season’s Co-Defensive Player of the Year. Scoring machine Arike Ogunbowale looks rejuvenated after a saucy Unrivaled outing as well.

Indiana counters with the interior presence of Aliyah Boston, who has three All-Star bids in three seasons. It also has lightning-fast Kelsey Mitchell, who averaged more than 20 points per game and was an All-WNBA first-teamer in 2025. Not only did this group reach last year’s semifinals, but it took the eventual champion to a full five-game series.

But the marquee is adorned by Bueckers and Clark, two gravitational forces with the league’s future in their hands. They’re the two most recent Rookies of the Year, and they’ve already expanded the imagination of WNBA fandom. The Fever’s home faithful will welcome Clark’s return from injury with a rumbling adoration.

Phoenix Mercury at Las Vegas Aces

3:30 p.m. on ABC

Why you should watch: It’s a WNBA Finals rematch.

While Fudd and Bueckers get the most fixation, there’s another WNBA power couple in the desert. Phoenix fulcrum Alyssa Thomas is the league’s all-time triple-double leader. DeWanna Bonner is the consummate sixth player, still balling in her age-38 season.

Phoenix was a powerhouse in 2025. It knocked out the defending champion Liberty in the first round, then upset the top-seeded Lynx in the semifinals. But the red-hot Mercury were still no match for the Aces, who steamrolled their way to glory.

The Aces are the W’s gold standard in silver and black. A’ja Wilson has claimed three MVPs and three Defensive Player of the Year awards in the past four years. Chelsea Gray comes in on the heels of her Unrivaled MVP shine. Jackie Young racks up 3s, dimes and steals with an unshakable cool. The Aces will coronate Saturday with a championship ring ceremony. That should give extra motivation to the visiting Mercury.

Atlanta Dream at Minnesota Lynx

8 p.m. on League Pass (national), Peachtree TV and Victory+ (local)

Why you should watch: Angel Reese arrives in A-Town.

Reese is a phenomenon in her own right. She’s led the league in rebounding in each of her two pro seasons, and she just walked the Met Gala carpet on Monday. The Dream took a big swing to acquire Reese, and Atlanta is expected to compete from opening night into the fall.

The Dream surround Reese with two ultra-fun backcourt hoopers. Rhyne Howard is fearless from behind the arc, and the 3-and-D Allisha Gray comes in off her first All-WNBA designation.

Game-wrecking big Napheesa Collier is on the shelf as she recovers from ankle surgeries. But Minnesota is still well worth the watch. Courtney Williams can ignite passions — and tempers — with in-your-jersey intensity. Kayla McBride has limitless range along the perimeter. Meanwhile, No. 2 pick Olivia Miles says hello to the next level, bringing dexterous playmaking to a perennial contender.

Chicago Sky at Portland Fire

9 p.m. on NBA TV (national), The U/WCIU and Rose City SportsNet (local)

Why you should watch: It’s the inaugural Fire game, and a reintroduction for the Sky.

One brand-new franchise debuts from over the border on Friday. The other rips the seal off Rip City come Saturday night.

The Portland crowd will ring in its new squad against the Sky, a remade outfit with a carved-out ceiling. Chicago added an entire lineup of decorated players this offseason. Skylar Diggins joins the Sky with seven All-Star noms to her name. DiJonai Carrington and Natasha Cloud both come in as premier defensive stoppers. Rickea Jackson just garnered an MVP vote in her sophomore WNBA season before getting dealt to Chicago. And floor-stretching Azura Stevens reunites with the Sky, the same team she won a title with in 2021.

Portland’s expectations are modest, but the fanfare will be undeniable inside the Moda Center. Fire head coach Alex Sarama got the gig at just 30 years old, and he brings a novel strategy to WNBA ball. His book “Transforming Basketball” helped popularize CLA (Constraints-Led Approach), which prioritizes on-the-fly adaptation and creative problem-solving. Those implementing it include second-year prospects Sarah Ashlee Barker and Carla Leite.

Sunday

Las Vegas Aces at Los Angeles Sparks

6 p.m. on USA (national), Vegas 34 and Spectrum SportsNet (local)

Why you should watch: Nneka Ogwumike returns to L.A.

Las Vegas gets its first hit of road animosity as the defending champions. Wilson was ridiculous against this opponent last year — 26.3 points, 12.5 boards and 4.8 dimes per game, all higher than her season averages. Chelsea Gray comes back to Los Angeles, where she turned from a reserve to an All-Star and league champ.

Sunday is the first look at the reworked Sparks. In an inspired move, L.A. welcomed back Ogwumike, who won the 2016 MVP in gold and purple. She also authored an iconic game-winning shot in the 2016 finals. Ogwumike’s still got it — she was second-team All-WNBA last year, her 14th season in the league. Additionally, the Sparks landed Ariel Atkins, a five-time All-Defense talent, in exchange for Jackson.

Ogwumike and Atkins join a hyper-speed offense anchored by pugnacious Kelsey Plum and rim-running Dearica Hamby. And 2026 could be a massive breakout for Cameron Brink, who was previously on a minutes restriction after her ACL tear. Brink’s block party is set to begin Sunday evening … though Wilson has been known to throw festivities of her own.

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This article originally appeared in The Athletic.

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